MMA Marketing Pro

Top 10 MMA Entrances Of All Time

SuperRob — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:05:16 +0000

The old adage goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” When a fighter walks into the arena, it’s sometimes part of a ritual they go through to prepare for a fight. Sometimes, it’s psychological warfare, designed to get under the skin of the opponent. And on occasion, the fighter just wants to make a huge splash. The smart fighter realizes that if you make a memorable impact coming into the arena, win or lose, fans will pay to see you fight again.

The following are my picks for the top 10 best MMA entrances of all time. Some goofy, some impressive, and some just downright fun.

Number 10
Tom Lawlor, UFC 113

It’s a shame this was an undercard fight, because while the Lawlor fight made it onto the UFC broadcast, his epic entrance did not. Borrowing from Rocky IV, Lawlor channeled his inner Apollo Creed, walking out to James Brown’s Living in America and wearing an American flag robe. The crowd was definitely feeling it, as you can gather from the fuzzy video captured at the live event. Unfortunately, life imitated art once again as Lawlor lost his fight, though not as badly as Apollo Creed did. (Spoiler Alert: Creed died.)

Number 9
Kimo Leopoldo, UFC 3

Divisive at the time, Kimo paved the way for theatrical MMA entrances when he came to the Octagon for his fight with legendary Royce Gracie … carrying a full-size cross on his back. Kimo was proud of his faith (“JESUS” tattooed on his stomach, and a cross on his back), and wanted to show respect to his Savior as he came out for his fight. Some thought it was way too over the top, either because of the religious aspect, or because it was distracting. Either way, Kimo deserves respect for holding true to his beliefs.

Sadly, there is no video available online for this entrance. If you find one, let me know in the comments and I’ll add it!

Number 8
Jason Miller, Dream 9

OK, I’m not a “Mayhem” Miller fan, and certainly not after instigating a fight at Strikeforce: Nashville. I think the guy is more bark than bite. But you absolutely can’t deny that the guy’s bark is loud and proud. Coming out with Japanese schoolgirls and dancing a choreographed routine with a big smile on his face made me laugh out loud.

Number 7
Muhammed Lawal, Sengoku Seventh Battle

“King Mo” Lawal is a lot of things. Humble isn’t one of them. It takes a lot of guts to call yourself a King, but watching his entrance at Sengoku Seventh Battle, you can almost believe it. Almost, because those are the least sexy dancers I have ever seen in my life. If that’s the best the “King” can afford, it’s a pretty small kingdom.

Number 6
Genki Sudo, K-1 Premium 2005 Dynamite

If you could intimidate a fighter into submission just through the amount of money you spent to make your way to the arena, Genki Sudo would be undefeated and destitute. One of only many of his amazing walk-out spectacles, Sudo puts on some sort of a kabuki pageant before coming out on a Segway. You have to see it to believe it.

Number 5
Yoshihiro Akiyama, Dream 5

The man known as “Sexyama” couldn’t possibly let himself be outdone when it comes to the persona he portrays on his way to the ring. Sure enough, Akiyama pulled out the stops … only to get booed mercilessly by the crowd. Akiyama was playing the heel to perfection.

Number 4
Akihiro Gono, Dynamite! 2009

You really can’t have a post talking about gigantic, overblown MMA entrances without getting Akihiro Gono on the list. This man is known for two things, being a great fighter, and making a massive splash when he comes out. This entrance at Dynamite! 2009 was no exception. He comes out, singing LIVE with Japanese band Kishidan. I don’t think anyone has come out singing with a full band before or since.

Number 3
Wanderlei Silva, Pride 2003 Grand Prix

There are a lot of things people miss in MMA since the UFC acquired Pride (besides soccer stomps), and a major one is the production value that went into the fighter entrances. Pride always made these guys seem larger than life. Below is the entrance of Wanderlei Silva, the man who’s name has become synonymous with Darude’s Sandstorm.

Number 2
Anderson Silva, Pride 21

Recently, Anderson Silva has taken to dancing around and humiliating his opponents during a fight. But it wasn’t long ago that he was leaving the theatrics to his entrances. Coming out to the Michael Jackson dance anthem “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, Anderson evokes the King of Pop in a way that would certainly bring a smile to the late superstar’s face.

Number 1
Fedor Emelianenko, YARENNOKA 31

It doesn’t get any more epic than this. Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko is considered by many to be the top MMA Heavyweight of all time, and the uncrowned champion of all promotions. So if you’re going to pull out all the stops for an entrance worthy of the WWE, Fedor is the guy you do it for. Of course, what puts this entrance over the top is the reaction by the fans. Watch it in HD and be awed.

UFC 113 Results

SuperRob — Mon, 10 May 2010 19:43:57 +0000

Another UFC pay-per-view has come and gone, and not without it’s fair share of drama.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua managed to tame Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, handing him his first Octagon loss in decisive fashion … with a first round knockout. Any doubts about whether or not Shogun won the first fight are a distant memory, as Rua is now atop the Light Heavyweight division where he belongs. Reports that Rua might have had a knee injury (which later ended up being an appendectomy) turned out to be a non-issue.

I’m thrilled to have been wrong about Stout, as Jeremy Stephens won a split-decision against Stout in what ended up being Fight of the Night. Stephens pretty well dominated the fight, and I can’t imagine which fight the judge that scored it 29-28 for Stout could have been watching. The really heartwarming part was after the fight when he said he’s setting aside that bonus for his one-year-old daughter’s future.

Josh Koscheck took down Paul Daley at will and ground out a decision victory, just like most people figured would happen. What wasn’t foreseen was Daley losing his UFC contract after suckerpunching Kos after the fight. Kos apparently said something inflammatory to Daley after the ref separated the two, and Daley took a poke at Kos. White announced at the press conference that Daley would never fight in the UFC again.

Daley wasn’t the only person to walk away from UFC 113 without a job, as Kimbo Slice couldn’t perform at all against Matt Mitrione, who earned a TKO victory in the second round against Slice. Mitrione exploited Slice’s suspect leg and took him down, eventually mounting Slice, who was practically immobile on the ground. Dana also gave Slice his walking papers, as do many fighters coming to the UFC by way of The Ultimate Fighter series who lose an early fight. Not entirely unwarranted (Kimbo was non-competitive against the 1-0 Mitrione), but I really like the guy and wouldn’t mind seeing him fight again. If there’s money to be made, he’ll be back.

Someone who didn’t walk away from UFC 113 at all is Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald, fracturing his leg in several places and dislocating his ankle in his fight with John Salter. MacDonald was a short-notice replacement for Nick Catone, and it was MacDonald’s first Octagon appearance in over a year.

Patrick Coté came in ready to fight Alan Belcher following 18 months on the sidelines with an injury. Sadly, he not only lost to Belcher, but suffered a broken hand that will likely sideline him yet again.

UFC 113 Picks

SuperRob — Fri, 07 May 2010 21:01:29 +0000

Keeping this one short because I’m seriously busy today, but below are my picks for the main card of UFC 113.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Lyoto Machida: I’m going with Shogun, partly because I know my girlfriend will root for the karate fighter, but also partly because I believe Shogun will right the wrong that was committed in their last fight. He’ll get the belt by close decision, and we’ll end up looking forward to a rubber match between these two outstanding fighters.

Jeremy Stephens vs. Sam Stout: This is a real “Sophie’s Choice.” I really enjoyed interviewing Jeremy Stephens for FightPastor.com. I love that he’s a family man, and that he’s training hard to put on a good show with Sam Stout. Either way this fight goes, I’m anticipating a Fight of the Night with these two. When you go after Stephens, he comes back at you with the entire arsenal. That said, I think Stout’s power can’t be ignored. Put me down for a knockout from Stout, but in my heart, I’m going to be cheering for the “Li’l Heathen.”

Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley: Koscheck is great, but Daley has the knockout power. For all Koscheck’s boasting about keeping this fight standing, he’ll take down Daley and grind out a decision at the first sign of trouble. So unless Daley knocks him out with the first few punches that land (which is always a possibility with “Semtex”), it’ll be Koscheck by decision, earning him a position as coach for The Ultimate Fighter Season 12, and a title shot against rival coach Georges “Rush” St. Pierre.

Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione: This is going to be an ugly fight, especially after the weigh-ins, when Mitrione comes in 30lbs. heavier. Mitrione should take Kimbo down and keep him there. Unless Kimbo’s wrestling and escapes are greatly improved, Mitrione should win this fight. Mitrione by decision. I hate saying that, because I really like Kimbo a lot. He interacts with his fans regularly, and genuinely loves this sport that he’s been thrust into. I really want him to win, but I don’t think he’s got it in him to overcome 30lbs.

Patrick Coté vs. Alan Belcher: This is a tough fight to call. In any normal circumstances, I think you’d give this fight to Coté in a walk. However, coming off a long layoff, cage rust is going to be an issue, and Belcher is too dangerous to give any advantages to … provided he can keep you at distance. I think for his first fight back from a layoff, Coté will look to exploit that with a tight clinch game and grind out a victory.

If you’re in the Seattle area, come watch the fight with FightPastor.com and meet Demico Rogers! We’ll have food, giveaways, and a couple hundred rowdy fans to enjoy the fights on 4 HD screens with! You’ve got to be there!

Handling Your Reputation Management Online

SuperRob — Thu, 06 May 2010 00:55:24 +0000

As a mixed martial artist, you have one goal: win fights. For your support team (and you’d better have one you can trust), they’re responsible for working with promoters to get you the fights you need to ascend the ranks, and cultivating the fan base. You might know some marketing basics: It’s a traditional supply/demand system, specific to sports marketing. Fans generate fight demand, and the promoter has the supply. You are the product.

Building a fan base requires some social networking savvy. We can teach you that: social networking works best when it comes directly from you and it’s genuine. What you need to delegate is the responsibility for your reputation management online. What’s that?

This comes down to knowing who’s talking about you, how people can find out who’s talking about you, and how all that affects how and if people who want to find out about you find something about you, or what someone else is saying. Let me explain …

If I were to Google your name, what would I find? You might Google yourself on a regular basis, so maybe you already know. But what if there’s something you don’t like that shows up there, maybe on the top of the search results? Would you know what to do about it? No, and you shouldn’t have to. You have teammates watching your back when you fight. You should have a team watching your back online as well.

Reputation Management is one of the services we offer mixed martial artists, and very likely the most important. If you don’t think the UFC or Strikeforce Googles fighters to find out what’s going on with them, think again. We monitor social networking sites, search engines, and other services, and craft specific plans to make sure that if someone wants information about you, they’re going to the source before anyone else.

Need Reputation Management Online (or off)? Contact us right now for more information.

Note: We cater to mixed martial artists, but if your company needs this kind of service, let us know. We might make an exception, or refer you to a company that can help you.

Griffin Out, Brilz In: UFC 114

SuperRob — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:23:48 +0000

I knew it couldn’t last. The UFC had a great card lined up for UFC 114, and sadly, the first big injury has hit the card.

Forrest Griffin had to bow out of the fight due to a shoulder injury, and shortly thereafter, Jason Brilz stepped in to fill that spotm, according to MMAJunkie.com. Brilz isn’t a marketable name yet for the UFC, so I expect this fight to be moved down on the card, and Bisping/Miller to be moved up to co-main event.

Personally, I’m disappointed. Griffin was the first winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” and the poster boy for the UFC’s metoric rise this decade. Watching him win is always a treat, win or lose, and I was really looking forward to seeing him live. I know hardly anything about Brilz, but I do know this … three weeks prep for a fight against any Nogueira isn’t enough to get the job done. Sure, it’s MMA … anything could happen. But it won’t.

Free Xbox 360 Dr. Pepper Theme

SuperRob — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:21:18 +0000

Want a free Xbox 360 Dr. Pepper / Iron Man 2 Premium theme? Enter the code below.

FR4DQ-4K2JQ-YBDHF-WMCRT-RG7TD

First person to claim it, gets it.

New Partner: Klench Kustom Mouthguards

SuperRob — Mon, 03 May 2010 20:08:45 +0000

I’m thrilled to announce that Klench Kustom Mouthguards is now a partner with MMA Marketing Pro. There are only four pieces of essential equipment in MMA: gloves, shorts, mouthguard, and your cup. Of those four, only your mouthguard does double-duty as protective gear and marketing opportunity.

Scott Mayor of Klench Kustom Mouthguards is as passionate about teeth as he is about MMA. He’s had a licensed dental lab for 15 years, so he has a ton of experience in making dental impressions and mouthguards for athletes. You don’t want to trust your grill to some guy that said he could put sick graphics on a cheap piece of plastic. You need experience behind your mouthguard, and Klench should be your source.

Each mouthguard is molded to your bite impression, and designed to offer various degrees of protection. Our recommendation is get the “Equiliberator”, a three-layer guard custom molded for perfect fit and unrivaled protection. Full-color graphics can be included, and you can even get some bling added for when you’re in the spotlight. Klench will send you an impression kit that you take to your dentist, so that you can get a perfect impression the first time.

Here’s where the marketing opportunity comes in. Assuming your bite doesn’t change, Klench will keep your impression “on file”. You should start out charging about $500 for the rights to brand your mouthguard; half of that pays for the mouthguard, and the other half you keep. You get the best possible protection for your teeth, and your sponsor gets their name associated with your smile. Each fight, you can sign a new deal. If it’s for the same sponsor, you essentially doubled your sponsorship money. As you ascend the ranks, you can charge more to brand your mouthguard.

I take my partnerships very seriously, so when I decide to partner with another business, I put a lot of effort into making sure they’re the right fit for my business and my clients. Klench Kustom Mouthguards has everything it takes to protect your smile and project your persona in the cage.

Interview with Jeremy Stephens

SuperRob — Mon, 03 May 2010 18:37:12 +0000

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Jeremy “Li’l Heathen” Stephens for FightPastor.com. Jeremy doesn’t do the press circuits very often, and it’s only out of his respect for Pastor Brandon and knowing that everyone at FightPastor.com are huge fans that he talked with us on the record.

The interview is a FightPastor.com exclusive, but here’s a little taste of what you’ll find over there.

FP.com: I’m glad to hear that! Switching gears, you’ve earned “Knockout of the Night” bonuses twice in your fights, and you’ve got serious jiu-jitsu skills as well, with a couple submission victories on your record. Sam Stout has won “Fight of the Night” bonuses four times as well. What kind of a war are fans going to be able to look forward to on the 8^th?

Stephens: Expect to see the best Jeremy Stephens you’ve ever seen. My loss to Spencer Fisher was earlier in my career, and the Joe Lauzon fight I took on 12 days’ notice, so I’m looking to get both of those losses back. I’m not looking past Stout at all, he’s a great opponent and always pumped up to fight. He shows great class, he has good energy, and I’m just going to go in there and bang it out with him. I’m always looking for the knockout, and I’m looking forward to it being a great fight, which is why I’m training so hard. I know he’s going to be in great shape, I know he’s going to come on strong on his home turf, so I gotta come on twice as strong!

Stephens fights Sam Stout in the first televised fight on the UFC 113 broadcast. If you’re in the Seattle area and want a safe, clean environment to watch the fight, come see UFC 113 with us. Demico Rogers will be there, fresh off his one minute, twenty-nine second victory at Rumble on the Ridge X: Melee, taking photos and signing autographs with fans. There will be much more in store as well, so come on down.

MMA Chaplaincy

SuperRob — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:07:49 +0000

Just about every sport in the United States has a chaplaincy of some kind. Even NASCAR has one. But to date, there hasn’t really been an established chaplaincy for Mixed Martial Arts.

MMA Marketing Pro partners with Fight Pastor to bring the word of God to fighters when they need it. Sometimes, it’s as simple as praying for a fighter before they step in the cage. Occasionally, it’s supporting a fighter after a tough loss. They also sponsor some fighters as a way of getting the word out about their ministry.

Most recently, Fight Pastor Brandon Beals went and prayed with Joe Brammer and Jeremy Stephens. Next week, he’ll be at Snoqualmie Casino praying and rooting for Demico Rogers before his headlining fight.

If you’re a mixed martial artist and want to bring a chaplaincy program to your gym, or need prayer before your fights, check out http://www.fightpastor.com.

MMA Marketing Pro offers marketing and PR services for Fight Pastor. If you’re an MMA website, blog, or other media, and would like to interview Fight Pastor about their innovative and unique program, you can contact me via the Fight Pastor Press page.

Tito Ortiz Arrested, Denies Allegations

SuperRob — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:28:43 +0000

Update 3: Ortiz held a press conference, stating that he did not lay a hand on Jameson, and that she has been battling an addition to Oxycontin, which he confronted her about.

Update 2: Ortiz is being held on $25,000 bail. Dana White says that the UFC can cut Ortiz over the arrest, without needing an actual conviction, but that they want to be fair to him.

Update: Jenna will be pressing charges … as well she should. It’s never a good thing when the victim feels sorry for the attacker and backs down. The price must be paid. Then Tito can travel down the path to redemption.

Tito Ortiz was arrested this morning, and booked on domestic violence charges, reports TMZ. His girlfriend, Jenna Jameson, is said to be showing “visible injuries.”

Just two days after everything that’s great about MMA is showcased to the world, another black cloud casts it’s shadow over the sport.

However, let me make this perfectly clear: Tito Ortiz does not represent the sport. What I love about MMA is the discipline and control these fighters display as almost super-human levels. But they’re still human. They still make mistakes. And when that discipline and control fails them, they do stupid things, just like any of us.

I was brought up to understand that you never hit girls. Ever. Some clownbox on Sherdog.com posted something similar to the following:

“… they were probably arguing and she hit him with a weak girly punch and he returned the favour. Thats normally how this … goes down. I know imma get called sexist or sumitbutthats the truth, women throw out abuse at guys and were expected to stand there and take it.”

I expect that there’s a lot of guys out there that feel this way. You know what you do if a girl hits you first?

YOU STAND THERE AND TAKE IT LIKE A MAN.

Show some self-control and discipline, that’s what you do. There is NEVER an excuse for hitting a woman, ever. I don’t care what the situation is, because it doesn’t matter. You man-up and take it. That’s what being a man is all about: Respect and Protect.

Luckily, this sort of stuff is still very rare, recent events notwithstanding. Most MMA guys are respectful and loving outside of that cage, and understand that the only time you raise a hand against someone is in the Octagon. Fighting outside of the sports context is absolutely reprehensible. We are evolved beings, and we’re in control of our bodies. That’s what MMA is all about … training your body to be a machine under your will. The fight is really about seeing who’s will and/or body breaks first. For a fighter to lose control outside of the ring is anathema to what mixed martial artists are supposed to be.

That said, I hope Tito isn’t judged too harshly. Everyone deserves a chance at redemption. More than that, I hope Tito has Jesus in his heart, because he’s going to need that grace and forgiveness down the road he’s about to travel.

MMA Marketing Pro

Top 10 MMA Entrances Of All Time

Number 10 Tom Lawlor, UFC 113

Number 9 Kimo Leopoldo, UFC 3

Number 8 Jason Miller, Dream 9

Number 7 Muhammed Lawal, Sengoku Seventh Battle

Number 6 Genki Sudo, K-1 Premium 2005 Dynamite

Number 5 Yoshihiro Akiyama, Dream 5

Number 4 Akihiro Gono, Dynamite! 2009

Number 3 Wanderlei Silva, Pride 2003 Grand Prix

Number 2 Anderson Silva, Pride 21

Number 1 Fedor Emelianenko, YARENNOKA 31